Trap for gas-mains and the like.



S. A. STUM. TRAP FOR GAS MAINS AND THE-LIKE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1 12.

1,082,2 1 6, Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

Witness Attorneys S. A. STUM. TRAP FOR GAS MAINS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1912.

1,082,21 6. Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witneses Inventor J 4 b r r I,

Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. 0. cv

SAMUEL A. STUIVI, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFGRNIA.

TRAP FOR GAS-MAINS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDec. 23, 1913.

Application filed November 6, 1912. Serial No. 729,864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. STUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Trap for Gas-Mains and the like, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to fluid traps and particularly those applicable to gas mains or pipes for permitting the condensation or drip water to be carried off.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an automatic trap of the character indicated which may be attached to a gas main, or to the piping of a building, residence, or the like, in order to catch the condensation and permit the same to be carried off, or separated from the as, without permitting the gas to be disc arged or interfered with.

The present invention also contemplates a device of the character specified which shall be comparatively simple, durable and economical in construction, as well as eiiicient, serviceable and simple in its operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view of the apparatus as applied to a residence or service pipe. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of an evaporator which may be employed in connection with the present apparatus. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modified form as applied to the gas main. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail.

Referring specifically to the drawings, a gas supply pipe has been designated by the numeral 4, it being understood that this device may be applied to the supply pipes of the gas service at any suitable point where the condensation will accumulate.

In carrying out the present invention, there has been provided a cup or drip chamber 5 that is designed to be engaged to the bottom of the gas pipe to catch the condensation. The bottom of the chamber 5 is formed by a reducer 6 to which one end of a U-shaped trap pipe 7 is attached. In order to permit the water to flow from the drip cup 5 and in order to prevent the gas from being discharged, there has been provided a casing to the bottom of which the other end of the U-shaped pipe 7 is attached and which casing incloses a float controlled valve for an outlet for the casing in order that the valve may be opened and closed as the water level rises and lowers within the casing. This mechanism resides in the details and combination of parts presently described.

The casing comprises a receptacle 8 having an external flange 9 about its rim, to which flange is secured a cover 10, by means of bolts, rivets or the like, so as to provide an air-tight closure. The cover 10 is preferably provided with an opening 11, normally closed by a plug 12. An outlet pipe 13 enters the bottom of the casing adjacent one end thereof and has secured thereto an extension 14, the upper or inner end of which formed into an inclined valve seat 15. A flap valve 16 is hinged, as at 17, to the end of the casing and is adapted to swing against the seat 15, the valve being hinged at the upper end of the seat as will be evident by reference to Fig. 1. A link 18 is provided with a hook at one end engaging an eye 19 carried by the free end of the valve and the other end of the link is pivoted to one arm of a lever 20 fulcrumed on a standard or upright 21 secured to the bottom of the casing. A second standard or upright 24 is secured to the bottom of the casing and has an actuating lever 23 fulcrumed to the upper end thereof, the standard 24 being shorter than the standard 21, and a link 22 being connected to the other arm of the lever 20 and to one arm of the actuating lever 23. A hollow spherical body 25 is secured to the other arm of the lever 23 and provides a float or buoyant weight. This float 25 serves the dual function of a float and a weight in order that when the level of the water rises within the casing, the

float will be raised so as to raise the valve 16, and in order that when the level of the water lowers, the float will drop and the weight thereof will cause the valve 16 to be swung closed.

In practice, the casing is secured to a wall or other object, and in a horizontal line with the drip cup 5 or below the level of the gas conduit, while the outlet pipe 13 is connected to a sewer, drain, evaporator, or other device for consuming the water discharged through the outlet pipe. hen the device is started, the plug 12 is removed and water is poured into the casing through the opening 11 until the level of the water rises to the valve seat 15. The float 25 will thus be raised in order to swing the valve 16 open, and as the condensation accumulates and gravitates into the drip cup 5, the level of the water within the casing will rise and the excessive water will naturally flow down the discharge pipe 13 to the sewer or the like. Should the water within the casing evaporate, the float will gravitate, and the valve will be swung closed in order to prevent the gas from escaping through the discharge pipe, so that an auto matic action is provided. The trap 7 is of a suitable length or depth and depends below the casing so as to overcome the pressure of the gas in order to prevent the water from being forced backwardly through the trap and into the casing to the detriment of the present device.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that the discharge pipe terminates within the casing slightly above the normal water level, so that the discharge pipe establishes a communication between the air space with in the casing and the atmosphere in order that the air may pass inwardly and outwardly as necessary, due to the rise and fall of the water level. Thus it is not necessary to connect the air space within the casing with the gas pipe, which would be necessary if the discharge pipe were entirely submerged. The operative connection between the float and the valve is also disposed above the water level so as not to be interfered with by the water.

In Fig. 2, there has been illustrated an arbitrary or conventional design of evaporator adapted to be employed in connection with the present device, the same consisting in a pipe 26 adapted to be connected with the outlet 13, a spider 27 secured to the pipe 26 and a pan 28 carried by the spider. The pan 28 is adapted to receive the drip or escaping water in order to permit the water to evaporate. .This evaporator is particularly useful when the separator is employed out of doors.

In the variations shown in Fig. 3, the parts are similar to the parts of the construction above described, with a few exceptions,

and these only need be described. The numeral a designates the gas main instead of a residence supply pipe, the main being provided with a drip chamber 5 in comparative large size, an elbow 6 being secured to the side of the drip chamber adjacentthe bottor thereof and the trap pipe 7 being attached to the free arm of the elbow 6. The pipe sections 13 and 1a are preferably secured to the bottom of the receptacle 8 by means of external and internal flanges as designated by the numeral 20, and this arrangement may he applied to the above described form. The link 18 of this form which connects the lever 20 and the valve 16 comprises a male screw-threaded member 30 and the female screw-threaded member 31. The outer ends of the members 30 and 31 are provided with forks or are bifurcated so as to be readily pivoted to the ends of the lever 20 and over the ear 19 projecting from the valve 16. A am nut 32 is also mounted on the male member 30 to bind against the female member 31 for inserting the parts in position. Thus, it will be noted that the link 18 may be extended or contracted for adjusting the valve 16 relative to the seat 15 as is advantageous.

The link 18 of the said form may also be constructed the same as the link 18 in the second form.

The advantages and capabilities of the present device will be apparent to those versed in the art, the same being entirely automatic in action so as not to, require the attention of a workman and improving the gas service by preventing the stoppage of the flow ofgas by the excessive accumulation of condensation, as is frequently the case in gas mains that are not provided with automatic means for carrying off the condensation. It will also be manifest that the objects aimed at have been" carried out satisfactorily, and that the present device provides a desirable one for the purposes for which it is designed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In a device of the character described, a casing adapted to be partially filled with water, a trap pipe connected at one end to the bottom of the casing and having a central portion depending below the casing, the other end of the trap pipe being designed for attachment to a gas pipe to receive the condensation, an outlet pipe passing through the bottom of the casing and terminating at the normal water level, the outlet pipe having an inclined valve seat at its upper end, a flap valve hinged to the upper end of the valve seat and designed to seat thereagainst, a lever fulcrumed within the casing above the normal water level, a float carried by the lever, and an operative connection between the lever and the said valve whereby as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signathe valve is normally held open, and whereture in the presence of two witnesses. by when the water level lowers a predetermined amount, the valve will be seated, the SAMUEL STUM 5 casing having means whereby the same may Witnesses:

be filled with water to start the device. JAMES H. DEERING,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing R0151. H. SCHWAB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

